Image Editor
| Good | Better | Best |
| GimpShop (free) | Corel Paintshop Photo Pro X3 | Adobe Photoshop CS4 |
While I've played with GimpShop and Corel Paintshop Photo Pro X3, I'm afraid I can't substitute for the industry leader in this category. I've owned various versions of Photoshop since 3.0 (~1994). Consequently, other image editors feel awkward because different software has different workflows.
My recommendation is to buy the newest version of Photoshop CSx you can afford, even if that means purchasing a copy of CS1 through eBay. And you can bypass Photoshop's steep learning curve by purchasing training through Lynda.com. You'll be thankful you did!
Conclusion: While Paintshop Photo Pro X3 and GimpShop are fine to start with, eventually you will want to migrate to the industry leader and buy PhotoShop CS4.